(19)
(11) EP 0 865 151 A3

(12) EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION

(88) Date of publication A3:
14.07.1999 Bulletin 1999/28

(43) Date of publication A2:
16.09.1998 Bulletin 1998/38

(21) Application number: 98301819.3

(22) Date of filing: 12.03.1998
(51) International Patent Classification (IPC)6: H02N 1/00
(84) Designated Contracting States:
AT BE CH DE DK ES FI FR GB GR IE IT LI LU MC NL PT SE
Designated Extension States:
AL LT LV MK RO SI

(30) Priority: 14.03.1997 US 818209

(71) Applicant: Hewlett-Packard Company
Palo Alto, California 94304 (US)

(72) Inventors:
  • Hoen, Storrs
    Brisbane, CA 94005 (US)
  • Taussig, Carl
    Redwood City, CA 94061 (US)

(74) Representative: Powell, Stephen David et al
WILLIAMS, POWELL & ASSOCIATES 4 St Paul's Churchyard
London EC4M 8AY
London EC4M 8AY (GB)

   


(54) Electrostatic actuator


(57) An electrostatic actuator (10) comprises a first member (14) and a second member (12), the first member having a first opposed surface (15) that includes an array (17) of driven electrodes with pitch pr, and the second member having a second opposed surface (13) and including an array (11) of drive electrodes. A support (e.g., 120) positions the first member adjacent the second member with the first opposed surface spaced apart from the second opposed surface by a spacing d. The ratio of the spacing and the pitch should be less than eight, and is preferably less than 2.25. The support permits the first member to move relative to the second member, or vice versa. A voltage source (58,60) establishes a spatially substantially alternating voltage pattern on the array of driven electrodes. An electrode control (30) establishes a substantially alternating voltage pattern on the array of drive electrode, and selectively imposes a local disruption on the substantially alternating voltage pattern on the array of drive electrodes to move the movable one of the first member and the second member relative to the other.






Search report